Slow Down and You’ll Get There

Slow down so that you can get to where you really want to be. That’s my only real lesson of late. I guess the biggest problem with “the system” that we all subscribe to from elementary to graduate school is what’s at fault: we don’t need to do everything and we don’t need to be where we want to be at 21 or 26. All we really need to have is a notion of what we need and what we want. We don’t need to be there today, we just need to move toward it.

I’d formerly set a bunch of goals for myself but they’re now pushed back. I don’t really mind; it’s not like I’m wasting my life. I’m moving in the right direction and enjoying the process. My basic needs and many wants are met. What else do I need?

Deadlines and competitions don’t need to play a role in every activity, be it a hobby, a relationship, or a career path. Sometimes we just need to be more focused on where we’re headed than upon what we’ve got. Most of us are still young enough to grow and change and start over and still head in the right direction.

And if you make mistakes or veer away from the path, don’t worry about it. We all have an opportunity to try again and learn. I’ve met a lot of peolpe who have made career changes in their late twenties up through their sixties…and they’re still good at their new path. There are people that remarry to find the right spouse. Some of the best musicians started on one instrument and then became famous for another. We don’t have to stick with something just because it’s been our path up to now, we just have to give our honest attention to whatever it is we do want…while minding our needs all the while.

But there’s no rush to figuring that out. Figuring it out is really what deserves the most attention–because that will determine the rest of our lives. So focus on the thought rather than the action, and don’t rush. Once you’ve got that just start moving: one step at a time.